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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29107440">This Ship Must Sail</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/loosenoodlepoodledoodle/pseuds/loosenoodlepoodledoodle'>loosenoodlepoodledoodle</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Romantic Feels [14]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>IU (Musician), MxR Mods, MxR Plays, Potastic Panda</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Immersive As Fuck, Krewsade, LGBTQ Themes, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 03:26:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,196</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29107440</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/loosenoodlepoodledoodle/pseuds/loosenoodlepoodledoodle</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It started as an offhand comment on an MxR video. But then it became a meme, gaining a life of its own.</p>
<p>Now, Henry must deal with the love of his life falling for someone else...</p>
<p>But the real question is, "Is it immersive?"</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Henry Liang/Jeannie Lee, Lee Jieun | IU/Jeannie Lee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Romantic Feels [14]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1672399</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>This Ship Must Sail</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>                “And that’s all for this video. Make sure you subscribe so we can get more subscribers. And don’t forget to follow Jeannie on her Twitch channel, PotasticP—"</p>
<p>                “Yeah!” exclaimed Jeannie.</p>
<p>                “—and we’ll see you next time!”</p>
<p>                The camera stopped recording, and Henry took a deep breath, clearing his head. They were almost done for the day, he and Jeannie, and then they’d have the rest of the evening to enjoy for themselves…unless they played Raid: Shadow Legends, of course. Then they’d be enjoying life for the sake of everyone.</p>
<p>                “Immersive as fuck,” muttered Henry.</p>
<p>                “Hey,” said Jeannie, and Henry’s sphincter clenched, suddenly worried as he was by her interjection. What had he done wrong this time?</p>
<p>                “There’re some new memes going around on our Reddit,” explained Jeannie, to Henry’s ass’s sweet relief, “we should finish by checking them out.”</p>
<p>                “Great!” said Henry. “I love our Reddit. It’s immersive as fuck.”</p>
<p>                Henry navigated to the page, and was surprised that there was already a thread devoted to the new meme topic. And that meme topic was so disconcerting to him, that he actually felt ghostly hentai tentacles slither about, gripping his heart in their punishing embrace.</p>
<p>                “These are all about you!” objected Henry.</p>
<p>                “Yes! Me!” said Jeannie. Henry gave the camera that panicked look he always does, even though at this particular moment it wasn’t on.</p>
<p>                “But they’re all shipping you and that one chick,” said Henry. He looked over at Jeannie, and the expression on his face chilled him to the bone: her eyes were shining, brimming with tears of happiness, the earnest emotions on his one true love’s face admonishing him for his lifetime of sin.</p>
<p>                “But, Jeannie, this is so <em>unchristian</em>…”</p>
<p>                Jeannie’s eyes became wrath. “I knew you weren’t woke. And anyway, I meant it when I said it: I’d leave you for IU. Be glad these aren’t that serious.”</p>
<p>                But Henry, in his heart of hearts, knew that wasn’t the case.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>                They finished the episode, but Henry was sure they’d have to scrap it. He had felt none of his usual I-don’t-give-a-shit confidence, and there was no chemistry between him and Jeannie, and all the chemistry in the world between her and IU, even though the singer was present only as manipulated still photographs.</p>
<p>                And then there was that one line, that one dreadful thing Jeannie had said, that had plunged a knife into Henry’s quivering heart:</p>
<p>                “You know, I’d kind of like to meet her. Maybe our people could launch a crusade…”</p>
<p>                Thus did the world start to crumble around Henry Liang.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>                Despite his misgivings, the episode went out, and the internet did what it does best. Things started happening on Twitter, and before either of them knew it, the pair had arrived in Incheon, and were checking into their quarantine hotel for two weeks. Two weeks in which they would continue to stream and record videos. Two weeks during which they would try to set up Jeannie’s meeting with IU.</p>
<p>                Henry didn’t know how much more of it he could take.</p>
<p>                “Don’t worry, Henry, it’s no big deal. We’ll just hang out, exchange phone numbers, and then spend the rest of our lives as bestest friends. There’s nothing wrong with that!”</p>
<p>                But Henry still feared.</p>
<p>                At long last, their quarantine was over, and Jeannie’s date with IU was set, and all that remained to do was prepare for that night.</p>
<p>                It was the longest wait of Henry’s life.</p>
<p>                They got into their ride together, hand in hand, though Henry wondered if this was to be the last time he ever had contact with Jeannie. His stoic heart wouldn’t let him express his true feelings, however. He just had to keep acting like he didn’t give a shit. It was the only coping strategy he could come up with.</p>
<p>                They reached the restaurant, exited the car, and went inside. IU was waiting for Jeannie, and she ignored Henry as he slunk away to a small side table by himself. He wasn’t a part of Jeannie’s dream night, but he did find himself seated in just the right spot to see everything happening from afar without context.</p>
<p>                “Immersive…as…fuck…” he whispered to himself, his only prayer of solace.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>                The date seemed to be going well. Jeannie was much more animated than IU, but Henry couldn’t decide whether that was good or bad. He also considered drowning his sorrows over at the bar, but that just seemed so <em>un</em>-immersive that he couldn’t bring himself to do so.</p>
<p>                He thought back to his childhood in Flushing, New York, to his past unrequited crushes. He had to conclude that some things never changed, no matter how old you got.</p>
<p>                He finished his bibimbap and thought to order some dessert when he noticed Jeannie had begun sharing a sundae with IU. IU took hold of the cherry on top and held it out to Jeannie, and Jeannie ate it right out of her hand. It was so romantic!</p>
<p>                <em>This is how my life ends</em>, thought Henry darkly. Not quick, but a drawn-out torture, like the heat death of the universe. He nearly choked when he realized Jeannie and IU were sharing the same spoon.</p>
<p>                “To be honest,” he said to himself, “if I’m going to get cucked, at least it’s by someone who’s worth it…”</p>
<p>                The girls finished their sundae, and time stopped. Henry felt his heart beating hollowly in his chest. IU was looking at Jeannie in a very particular way, a way that was familiar to Henry because it was the way Henry himself looked at Jeannie, in his vulnerable moments when his defenses were down. A bitter sweetness spread inside him, and he almost didn’t see it when IU leaned in and gave Jeannie a kiss on the lips, and they held hands, and as sick as he felt he couldn’t deny how beautiful they looked together.</p>
<p>                Then he was surprised, as time ran forward again, and Jeannie and IU stood up, preparing to leave.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>                He met them at the cash register. IU paid for everything, because she was rich. As they approached the front doors, Henry awkwardly and the girls relaxed, IU took him aside.</p>
<p>                “You’re a very lucky man, Henry Liang,” she said, and he could barely get across his acknowledgment and thanks. Outside, a limousine pulled up for the star, and she bade them farewell and was gone.</p>
<p>                “Thank you, Henry, for indulging me,” said Jeannie, and her eyes opened with concern at the relief washing over Henry’s face.</p>
<p>                “Wait, you were really scared I’d elope with her or something?”</p>
<p>                “Yeah, I was,” admitted Henry.</p>
<p>                Jeannie was silent for a moment. “Well, maybe you were right to be. And there’s a part of me, that scares me, that wanted to leave you for her. But the better part of me refuses. Even if I really had been able to be with IU…”</p>
<p>                “Jeannie, what are you saying?”</p>
<p>                “I’m saying, I love you, Henry Liang, and our story isn’t over yet!”</p>
<p>                Henry felt joy overflowing from his heart. His eyes were starting to water.</p>
<p>                “I love you, too, Jeannie. You know I do.”</p>
<p>                And they lived happily ever after…</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>There was a recent MxR video, at the end of which Jeannie admitted openly and rather stridently that she would leave Henry for IU if such a thing became a possibility.</p>
<p>Therefore, I wrote this story, because I don't really make memes or edit videos. Writing is my only real creative outlet.</p>
<p>*I would put this on the MxR subreddit, but since it's not a meme I don't think it would fit in there. So I imagine only IU fans will ever see this, and not any fans of Henry and Jeannie...</p></blockquote></div></div>
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